Perhaps the most charming aspect of the Six Nations Championship is in its uncanny knack of pitting together teams at the most interesting of times of their seasons. Naturally, considering the compressed nature of the tournament, this never comes as too much of a shock, but this weekend’s match-up at Murrayfield is nonetheless set to […]

ROME, ITALY - FEBRUARY 04: Owen Farrell of England prepares to kick during the NatWest Six Nations match betwwen England and Italy at Stadio Olimpico on February 4, 2018 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Perhaps the most charming aspect of the Six Nations Championship is in its uncanny knack of pitting together teams at the most interesting of times of their seasons.

Naturally, considering the compressed nature of the tournament, this never comes as too much of a shock, but this weekend’s match-up at Murrayfield is nonetheless set to be one seriously entertaining game of rugby.

Scotland

Scotland has taken a few steps back this tournament. Their thumping 34-7 loss to Wales in the first round came as a complete surprise and would have dampened any potential rugby romantic’s dream about a Scottish title-winning charge.

Their 32-26 win over France was much improved, but all indicators are that this week’s showdown with the defending champions will come too soon for them.

With dry, chilly weather expected, the Scots will perhaps look to give the ball some width and take the game to the English early on.

They are unlikely to outmuscle their opponents and will perhaps resort to a more free-flowing, loose game to combat whatever weaknesses they may have at the set-pieces; not least scrum time.

Two-time Player of the Tournament Stuart Hogg has hardly had a sniff all tournament long, and I’m banking on him seeing more of the ball this weekend as the hosts bid to spark something special amongst their back division.

England

One can’t help but feel that this “good” England side is on its way to becoming great. It’s a squad that has made winning a habit and indeed the way they are able to get themselves over the line in some tight Test matches is absolutely uncanny.

With the World Cup just a little over a year away, you might want to put good money on All Blacks’ coach Steve Hansen having a few sleepless nights – something that few would have predicted but two short years ago.

Scotland have proven themselves a welcome opponent for Eddie Jones’ side in the past, with the men in white having won all eight of their last meetings.

Ahead of the weekend, one would be hard-pressed to find any good reason why this streak won’t continue, with the psychological gulf between the sides too great for the hosts to negotiate.

England are hell-bent on winning all four Six Nations tournaments in the build up to Japan 2019, and it would certainly take a monumental Scottish effort to knock them off their stride this Saturday. With the raw physicality at their disposal, I don’t see them slipping up.

Verdict: England (-7.5) 9/10

Owen Farrell being passed fit will have a huge bearing on the contest, and his tactical genius is sure to set England up well for another win. On the basis of their opening two games, Scotland don’t have it in them to cause an upset. Expect more of the same this Saturday.